{Gratitude} Tuesday

                

Lately, I've been thankful for great weather & spending time in my favorite place.

For raspberry italian sodas from Cup A Joe.

For the chance to watch the Athens lax team kill it in their tournament. 

For watching this sweet old man read to his wife every week at Global Village Coffee.

For John 10:28, I mean DANG straight from Jesus' mouth--we can not be snatched from His hand, we are HIS.

And for m&ms + peanut butter #college.

"As long as thanks is possible, then joy is always possible." -Ann Voskamp

happy tuesday homies

The Beginning

ATHENS DRIVE HIGH SCHOOL! My new home, the very place God chose for me to pour out to the broken hearted. How EXCITING! It is still unreal that I am officially a Young Life leader. I am jumping into campaigners, club, and contact work and it's coming quick. 

It's scary and it's uncomfortable but what a privilege it is to be able to be included in what God is doing at this school. I've tasted and seen that the Lord is so so good, and I am so urgent for these high school girls to taste and see that the Lord is good. But, I know that it will take time to build relationships with these friends, to earn the right to be trusted by them and the right to be heard. It's a process and it takes effort. 

God brought me from life to death, and yet I still fear that He can't prepare the way for me through this high school. And then I have to stop and I have to remind myself that He absolutely can and will prepare the way for me. He's gone before me into Athens and into the hearts of these girls. There is nothing to fear. I serve a powerful God who can do anything in me. 

I am truly in awe of how the Lord is working in this ministry and I am so stoked to see the mighty work He does through all of these leaders! Excited for this journey and what lies ahead. Go Jags. 

New Greater Raleigh YL leaders!!!

Athens Drive YL team!

3 years to 3 days

This is the week. In three days I find out where I will be leading Young Life for the next three and a half years. The count down started three years ago. The moment the two weird college strangers stepped onto Middle Creek high school's campus, sat down and watched my lacrosse practice. I had no idea who they were and no idea why in the world they were coming to watch us...middle creek girl's lacrosse...run around a field acting like we knew what we were doing. But they showed up, time after time at Middle Creek, poured into me and my friends, loved us, spent time with us, encouraged us, showed us how to live a life for Jesus. I knew something was different about Emily and Liza, I wanted to do whatever they did, I wanted to have the joy that they had, I wanted to live life like they lived life, I wanted to follow them. So that's what I did. I followed Liza and Emily to campaigners, to YL club, and to YL camp-where my life was changed. I'm beyond thankful that the Lord chose them to usher me to the feet of Jesus, to show me how to live a life for the Kingdom, and how to love others unconditionally. I figured it out. Jesus was inside of them, they leaked Jesus wherever they went. I wanted that. So I began to run after and follow Jesus and they never left my side along the way. They are two of my best friends and now I get to follow in their footsteps and lead high school girls to the King. Wow.

The past few weeks have been filled with anticipation, wondering what school I will be placed at and wondering what lies ahead. It's been hard not trying to see myself at certain schools, or picking and choosing where I would want to be. But it's not my plan, it's the Lord's plan and sometimes that is hard to trust.

[Acts 20:24 the msg]

I'm completely in the dark about what will happen when I get there. I do know that it won't be a picnic, for the Holy Spirit has let me know repeatedly and clearly that there are hard times and imprisonment ahead. But that matters little. What matters most to me is to finish what God started: the job the Master Jesus gave me of letting everyone I meet know all about this incredibly extravagant grace of God.

What boldness and selflessness Paul has. I am to consider my life nothing in comparison to spreading the Gospel. The Lord has set me apart. He has chosen me. He has chosen a school for me. A school that is full of brokenness. I'm on a mission to be bold and to pour out grace, love and truth. He has hand picked this school for me all for His glory. No matter the school I get, I pray that my heart will overflow with thankfulness and that I will fall to my knees in praise. What an honor that I'm on a mission for the Creator of this universe. What matters most is that I will live my life to finish the race that He started. I will trust in knowing that He has gone before me and that His plan is beyond perfect. That He delivers. I will cling to Him. Tightly. Never letting go, never losing sight of Him.

I'm ready and I am so STOKED to get the chance to do what Liza & Emily did for me in high school. There's a post to follow on the school I get placed at & what my next 3 and a half years will look like!